Discovering the Werewolf
by lemmonbomb
Summary: So this is my first fanfic! I know it's been done before, but I wanted to have a go at writing my version of how the Marauders found out about Remus my fav character ever! and his furry little problem. Later chapters, a little of what happened afterwards
1. Chapter 1

I own none of the characters featured in this fanfic, they all belong to the saint that is JK. :)

"Oh, you boys really are just the limit!" scolded a livid Professor McGonagall. "Potter, Black – and you too, Lupin, Pettigrew – I am thoroughly ashamed that you thought it would be amusing to slip love potion into several students, and worse, members of staff's pumpkin juice this morning!"

Biting back a desire to roar with laughter, Sirius began "But it's Valentine's Day Professor! We only wanted to – "

"I don't care what you were aiming to achieve! It was not funny!"

His shoulders shaking, and a huge grin creasing his face, James blurted out "Sorry, Professor, but it really was!" She glared at him furiously, and opened her mouth to argue before she was interrupted again.

"I never thought I'd see the day when old Snivellus would declare his undying affection for Professor Sprout..." mused Sirius, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Unrequited love." muttered Remus under his breath, shaking his head in mock pity, and the four burst out in hysterics again.

"ENOUGH!" said McGonagall, in a tone so icy that all four of them stopped laughing immediately, and Peter turned back to nervously picking his fingers. "Never, _never, _in all my time as a teacher have I ever come across a group of such mischievous, insolent boys! Barely half way through your second year, and in my house too! I am extremely disappointed in all of you. I will not stand for this. Twenty points from Gryffindor will be taken from each of you, and you will all serve detention in my classroom this evening at six o'clock sharp. Now you may leave, but straight back to your common room, mind!" Smirking, James and Sirius got up and made hastily for the door, as Peter shuffled nervously after them. Remus, however, lingered behind, biting his lip. He hoped the others wouldn't notice his staying.

"Coming, Remus?" called Sirius from the doorway. Remus spun round in panic, but managed to stammer "I – oh – yes, I'm coming, I just need to...erm...have a word with Professor McGonagall. Don't wait up, I'll come and find you in the common room."

Sirius gazed quizzically at Remus for a moment. "Suit yourself." he said, in a strange voice, and he shut the door behind him as he left. Breathing a sigh of relief, Remus turned to McGonagall.

"What is it, Remus?"

"I...I don't think I'm going to be able to make it to detention this evening, Professor."

"Why ever – oh I see, of course, I forgot."

"I don't think you'd appreciate my company very much." He gave a small, shy smile.

"Very well. I suppose I shall have to let you off this time. But please take note; what you did today with your friends was entirely not amusing. I expected more from you, Lupin." He hung his head in shame. The telling off part was always easier with his friends beside him. She looked up at him again, her eyes full of concern. "Are you alright, Remus?"

"Oh," he felt his cheeks flush pink, "I'm...fine. I'm fine. Goodnight, Professor."

"Goodnight."

Breathing out in relief, Remus shut McGonagall's office door behind him, and began to head not in the direction of the common room, but of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey would be expecting him for...he shuddered at the thought of the entertainment he was being promised tonight, and dug in his pocket for the comforting softness of the handkerchief that, though his friends mocked him for, his mother insisted he always had on him. He smiled to himself when he came across a square of chocolate jumbled in there, too. Suddenly, from nowhere, a body pounced onto Remus, gripping his shoulders. The attacker laughed at his frightened jump. Sirius. Remus turned round, and saw Sirius, James and Peter. They'd all waited for him. Had they heard –

"How in the name of Merlin did you manage to get out of that one, Remus?" said a grinning James, slapping him on the back. "That was even wormier than Peter!"

Peter glared at James. "I'm not wormy. But seriously, Remus, how?"

"Sounded like you'd charmed her into letting you out to me; she was agreeing with everything you said. Why haven't you taught us the spell, eh? We're meant to be Marauders together." Sirius frowned at Remus, who felt small and weak compared to cool, confident Sirius and James. Even Peter had an overwhelming advantage over him but...he wouldn't ever find out. He sighed, inwardly.

"I didn't charm her. And you know I would have told you how if I had known." Remus stared back at his curious friends. "I just...really can't go to the detention tonight."

"But I've tried that one before! She never lets me off the hook!" cried Sirius.

"Well, she did when we had Quidditch practise that time." answered James, honestly.

"Yeah but that was different, you know how seriously McGonagall takes Quidditch." Sirius continued, waving his hand impatiently "But when_ I've_ said I'm busy, she never lets me go! How come she let him out of it?"

Remus bit his lip, trying to muster an excuse. He'd found himself in this situation too many times for his liking. "But I do have a really important reason why I can't go."

Three pairs of eyes watched him, expectantly.

"I...erm...well my mum's ill so...I have to go and visit her."

"I thought you said it was your dad that was ill?" said Peter, frowning a little in confusion.

"Oh, did I say that? I meant my mum." gabbled Remus. He was only aware that very soon the sun would be setting in the sky.

"What does she have, anyway?" Sirius didn't look cross anymore, just curious. "She's had whatever it is since we started at Hogwarts, hasn't she?"

"She...I..." failing to find words that would fit together in a sentence, and failing to think of any gruesome diseases to inflict upon his mother, he bit his lip again. "I have to go now. Sorry."

"Oh, don't go Remus! Sirius was only pretending to be cross! Remus?" James called after his quiet friend, but he was well over halfway down the corridor, his head hanging.

"I really don't get him." said Sirius, pulling at his earlobe absent-mindedly. "One minute he's hilarious, the next he's feeling quiet and has his head stuck in a book, the next he's feeling moody and then once every blue moon he buggers off to visit an ill relative and comes back exhausted. Weird..."

"Once every blue moon..." muttered James, lost in his own thoughts. "You two go back to the common room...I think I'm going to pay the library a visit."

"The library?" Sirius winced at the sound of the word. "You're turning into Remus in his absence! Have fun then..." he frowned, and turned to leave, Peter hopping along beside him.

It couldn't be, thought James. It was way too unlikely. And Remus would've told him.

_Wouldn't he?_

He just had to check. Just in case. Not that it would matter if it _was_ true. He just had to know.

Squatting down in front of one of the many giant bookcases that filled the library, it didn't take James long to find the books he was looking for. _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_. He stared at the floor and laughed in spite of himself as the book was stamped by the grumpy librarian, who had been subjected to an unwanted passionate kiss by a love-drugged Hagrid earlier that day, but that highly amusing memory quickly left his head as James tried to remember the last time Remus had disappeared to visit his sick relatives.

*So, this is my first fanfiction! There's a lot more to come because I've been reading and writing this stuff for months now but haven't ever published any of it until now. I'd really appreciate any feedback you have, and thanks for reading, it means a lot.*


	2. Chapter 2

Remus sat shivering on the cold, dusty wooden floorboards of the Shrieking Shack. Wind whistled through cracks in the window. He'd stripped down to his underwear to avoid tearing his already tatty school robes...again. This plan was fine in the summer months, but a bitterly cold February evening? Remus could feel his nervous, agitated sweat turning to ice as it trickled down his forehead.

He didn't know which was worse. The waiting or...the transformation. Or the fact that nobody could know because if they did, he'd never have friends again.

He longed for a word of comfort; somebody thinking of him other than the teachers and his parents. He wished with all his heart that he could tell his friends – the best friends he had ever had. He felt guilty lying to them over and over again. But what could he do? There was no way he could ever tell them the truth. They'd hate him, loathe him, fear him and reject him. Remus hated being rejected.

Full Moon.

He knew it was coming. He could feel the prickle crawling maliciously up his spine, giving him his final warning. With a frightened moan he could not help, he looked up at the window. A cloud was beginning to drift away from the white, shining circle that brought such great pain and distress. He began to shake. Every time it came, he panicked. Every time it ended, he nearly forgot the agony.

Until it started again.

His shaking grew more violent, and he shut his eyes to stop the tears.

Curse the moon. Curse his whole damn life.


	3. Chapter 3

"What are you trying to say, James?" barked Sirius at his friend, who had gone almost as pale as Remus looked on a daily basis.

"I...I mean I've checked and double checked. It's all I could think about during that whole detention. Everything fits."

"Fits what?"

"I think...I think Remus is a ...a..."

"What?"

James stopped for a moment. He wasn't making it up. Everything pointed to it being true. Quietly, he said "You said it yourself, Sirius. Once every blue _moon_."

"Once every – " Sirius stopped dead. "No...you don't think...surely not."

"Everything fits, look," James gestured Sirius over from his bed to show him the bit of parchment he'd been scribbling dates on. Balanced on his knees were two books, one his astronomy book open on the page concerning the lunar cycle and the other open on one beast's page in particular. "Every time he's said he's been visiting his parents...it's been a full moon."

"And all the cuts and bruises and scars..."

"Exactly. I think he's a...a werewolf."

Sirius didn't know what to think. He certainly didn't know what to say. Finally, he muttered "Poor bloke."

Only the sound of Peter's snoring broke the silence as the two stared at each other in disbelief.

_..._

_It terrified him. It intrigued him. He didn't understand why he felt the way he did. _

_He hated it. He was alarmed by it._

_It hurt. He felt scared._

_He howled._

_..._

"We're going to have to say something to him."

"Yes, but what? There must be a reason why he hasn't told us until now."

"Maybe he's too scared? Or ashamed?"

James' gaze reached out of the window at the glaring full moon. "He must think we won't want to be his friends anymore."

The three friends – Peter having being thumped awake by a floating pillow sent by Sirius – had been sitting discovering what James had worked out for at least an hour now. Peter shifted in his bed, uncomfortably. "I'm not sure I _do_ want to be his friend anymore..."

James and Sirius turned in horror to face their friend "What?" they both said, in dead unison.

"Well he's nice and all but he is a bit weird. And he could turn into a werewolf at any time, and I don't want to become one myself, thanks very much. Plus what will people think, us hanging about with a werewolf?"

Sirius exploded with rage. "You utter bastard, Peter!" he hurled a gobstone at him, and it hit his forehead with acute accuracy. "How can you say those things? First of all, Remus is our best friend. He'd stick by any of us if we were in trouble or suffering, and you know it! You know he always sticks up for you, in fact he's nice to you all the bloody time! And, by your standards _Petey,_ he's not in the slightest bit weird! So what if his nose is stuck in a book half the time – it's probably the only peace he gets, and at least he actually knows _how_ to read!"

Peter had shrunk backwards into his pillow. "I can read." He said, feebly.

"Oh shut up Peter, you cretin!" James too was fuming. "If you could read, you'd know that werewolves only become wolves at the full moon!"

"And as for what people will think of us, who cares? We're the Marauders! We don't care what anybody says, and we look out for each other. I thought you knew that." Sirius glared at Peter, who barely had his face peeping out from under the covers now. "Maybe you're not the Marauder I thought you were."

The seconds ticked past slowly. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning. James decided to break the silence. "It's not like anybody will find out anyway, Peter. This is just between us and Remus. If it's true. Understand?" Peter nodded quickly. The silence came creeping back, and all three of them seemed unable to look away from Remus' empty bed.

"He must still be out there now..." said James, his face a picture of concern and anxiety.

"We're going to have to say something." said Sirius, matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but what?" came Peter's reply from the corner of the room.

And they were back to square one.

...

_He didn't know where he was. He didn't know who he was. _

_It frightened him. It intoxicated him._

_He felt hungry, and angry, and fiery and confused. _

_Again, he ripped at himself with his jaws, before howling in pain._

_Why? It drove him to delirium._

_He felt agitated, and lonely, and tense and strange. _

_He clawed at his flesh. _

_Blood._

_He howled._


	4. Chapter 4

The sun rose clear over the cold winter sky.

James, Sirius and Peter had resolved to ask Remus after he had slept for maybe an hour or two after returning, but it was the next morning and they just couldn't wait.

He always came back at a day or two later at dawn. Before they knew what they suspected to be the truth, they hadn't even given it a second thought. It was just when his parents sent him back by Floo Powder. Sometimes, they barely even noticed, because Remus always woke up before the others.

Now they couldn't help but glance at the clock as the seconds turned into minutes past dawn. Sirius had a sudden thought. "Sometimes he misses the first few lessons."

"What?"

"Sometimes he misses the first few lessons after he's been...away. I asked him why once and he blushed and said Madam Pomfrey wanted to check him over before he came back, in case he had his parents' illness."

"Maybe he goes there when he's had...a really bad night."

"Why else would he not come back?"

Once again, Sirius and James stared at each other, before dragging the snoring Peter out of bed. They pulled James' invisibility cloak around them, and made their way downstairs.

Once again, Remus Lupin felt like he'd died, and somebody had dragged him back to life. He ached all over, and his cuts and scratches were particularly deep and sore this time. This was why he'd found himself being carried into the Hospital Wing by a tutting Madam Pomfrey, after emerging in a daze from the foot of the Whomping Willow early that morning, mercifully human again.

Merlin's beard, he ached.

Still, look on the bright side, he thought sarcastically. He had another month yet before he had to endure that all over again. Easing his throbbing body over, he turned onto his back where the pillow was cool. He couldn't even open his eyes, but it didn't worry him like it used to, because it happened every time. He'd get back, feel exhausted and collapse on his bed, the hospital wing bed – any bed really. He just knew he needed to sleep.

"Remus?" whispered a familiar voice. Remus didn't open his eyes. He just listened to the worrying conversation taking place between three very familiar people above his bed.

"He looks dead, doesn't he?"

"Shut up, Peter! He might be awake!"

It couldn't be denied, thought Remus, he knew exactly what he looked like.

Lying in front of James, Sirius and Peter was their friend, looking thin and white as sheet in a pair of blue striped pyjamas that were too big for him. He sported huge dark purple shadows under his eyes and his tousled brown hair looked a mess. His pyjamas had fallen open at the neck, revealing a body covered with scars, cuts and bruises. Today he had a bandage around his forearm; where he had evidently tried to do something to the effect of gnawing it clean off. Time would pass, and it would heal, but some wounds never healed. One in particular throbbed on Remus' collarbone. His bite mark. He was glad that his friends couldn't see that one, and might never have to. He wasn't sure if he could come up with a cover-story believable enough.

"Nah, he' not awake. He's fast asleep, I shouldn't think."

"Do you think he's...in pain?"

Nobody answered James. Ordinarily, Remus would have begun to panic at this point, but he was just beginning to drift off into a much-needed sleep. He wasn't really listening to what his friends were saying.

"Who knows? If he's not in pain now, he sure as hell will be. Look at the size of that bandage on his arm!"

"When are we going to ask him?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should leave him a while, he looks terrible..."

Yes, thought Remus, distantly. Please leave me alone, I'm too tired!

"All right then. Come on, let's go back to bed before we get caught."

The three boys began to leave the room under the cloak.

"On second thoughts," said Sirius, smiling "I'm up now, and I'm starving. Can we just go and nab some food from the kitchens? The house elves don't mind." On cue, Sirius' stomach gave a loud rumble, and they laughed as they changed direction towards the kitchens.


	5. Chapter 5

Remus woke up because the light streaming in through the window opposite his bed was streaking red patterns through his eyelids. He opened his eyes, only to shield them, and turn over. He liked the dark, it let him hide.

_No. The dark brings the moon._

Shuddering, Remus ran his hand through his untidy hair. He groaned; the ache hadn't gone away completely yet. Plus his left forearm throbbed with sudden pain, which would have made him gasp had he not been in the same situation so many times before.

Spotting that he was awake, Madam Pomfrey bustled over to his side supporting a tray with a large bowl of porridge on it with her wand. She placed it down beside his bed and he immediately picked it up again, eating ravenously. She put a cool hand to his forehead. "How do you feel?"

He swallowed a large mouthful of porridge "Tired, aching and starving hungry. In other words, the usual." She tutted, but ruffled his hair affectionately. He wished she wouldn't do that, but they had grown quite close since she had become his escort to the Whomping Willow of an evening.

"Oh, and my arm kills."

She sighed "Yes, you did seem to have had quite a go at that last night. It'll – "

"Heal, I know. Hurt's, though." He said, through another mouthful of thick porridge. He didn't know how he could stomach the stuff, it was awful. Yet after every full moon, he sat impulsively wolfing it down for breakfast. Wolfing. He shuddered again.

Sirius smiled as Remus poked his head round the classroom door the next day. He'd saved him a seat. He noted Peter hunched over, sadly prodding what looked like a dead mouse with his wand, and James was at the front of the room with Severus Snape explaining why he'd thought it would be amusing to send his own full-of-life mouse hurtling up Severus' trouser leg (and beyond). He heard the word "accident" and he couldn't help but smile. He sat down quietly next to Sirius.

"Did I miss much?"

"Nah, not really. We've just been learning this charm to make an animal dance, and another to make it chase things. Which of course, you should remember how to do well."

Remus laughed softly. "Poor old Aaron Priddle and his cat. He should have learnt sooner that our dormitory was not the place to mark his territory. Particularly by _my_ bed!" Remus grinned, but shuddered at the memory of the pungent smell that had greeted him as he woke up every morning several months ago.

"Who should have learnt –the cat or Aaron?"

Remus threw back his head and laughed with Sirius. It felt good to laugh. He began to hunt through his bag for his quill and parchment, to copy down the notes that had been made anyway. Sirius couldn't help but notice his left arm dangling a little helplessly by Remus' side. He'd mention that later. For now he wanted to keep things subtle.

"So, how's your mum?"

"Wha – oh, she's fine. Fine." He'd caught Remus off guard, but he'd made a quick recovery. He was concentrating hard on copying notes down, but Sirius saw the telling pick flush in his cheeks.

"Well that's good. So you won't need to visit her much more if she's getting better then..."

"Oh. I err...I don't know. Maybe." He pulled his wand out from his robes and performed both charms with relative ease on his own mouse, which had been waiting in a box at the front of the room. It hadn't taken much, but already Sirius could see the tips of Remus' ears beginning to glow pink. If he could keep going, he might be able to coax an explanation rather than forcibly ask him. This was Sirius' plan. James, however, had decided that Sirius' plan would fail "because Remus is clever enough to outsmart you, or at least avoid your questions" and that when it did fail, he would catch Remus and ask him then. Peter had made no conscious plan; it seemed that like always he would be tagging along with one of them.

A few minutes later, Remus had finished writing up the work he had missed and finished the work he hadn't. Sirius, though perfectly capable, was not bothering to do the work. He felt that he knew it all already, so why bother? He'd been chatting to a couple of people in the row in front, before turning back round to Lupin, who had fixed his tired eyes on a book he had produced from his bag.

"Reading again?"

Remus gave a start, but didn't take his eyes away from the page. He nodded "Mmm."

"One day you'll get so into a book that your hands will become stuck to it, and you'll never be able to get rid of it." Sirius said, staring at Remus. Finally, he prised his eyes away from the book.

"I rather doubt that that would ever happen. Not unless you, James, possibly Peter and a Permanent Sticking Charm had anything to do with it."

"You've just given me one hell of a good idea, Remus." Remus smiled, and was about to go back to his book when Sirius went in for the kill "Remus! What have you done to your arm?" He had the exact desired effect, and Remus was left lost for words, his ears tinged red. Just before he could answer, distraction arrived in the shape of James. Remus seized his chance "Hello, James. What's all the fuss I've heard about you sending a rather friendly mouse to greet Severus in a not so friendly place?" Sirius silently sent a death stare at James, which only made him want to laugh even harder.

"Well," he began with a grin. It was all that was needed before even Sirius was distracted with the nature of the event and his ability to avoid punishment. Remus listened intently and laughed in all the right places, but couldn't help but experience a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that Sirius, and possibly the others, were suspicious of him. He'd had a little longer to think of excuses though, so he hoped all would be fine.

By lunchtime that day, Remus was feeling thoroughly uncomfortable. He couldn't move for Sirius plaguing him with strange questions, and even Peter had started to badger him. He'd have even been happier if they were asking him Potions questions, because all the Marauders knew that the only things he had ever successfully made in a cauldron were tea and a sleeping potion. He smiled at the memory, but he lost the smile instantly when he heard Sirius plonk down next to him, saying "How did a _cat_ make a wound big enough on your arm for it to need to be bandaged?"

He sighed as he finished serving himself and two first year students peas. "I don't know. It just did. I guess cats don't like me very much."

"Why don't cats like you?"

"No idea."

"Maybe you remind them of a dog?"

"I can't see how I resemble a dog in any way, Sirius, so I will ignore that."

"Maybe you smell like a dog?"

"I assure you, Sirius, I do like to have a wash at least once a day. I'm pretty sure I don't smell of dog, though I will thank you for the generous compliment."

"So this cat must have had pretty big teeth, right?"

Remus set down his knife and fork. Suddenly, he didn't feel at all hungry anymore. "I think I'm going to go and read my book now, if you don't mind." Quickly, he got up from the table before Sirius could ask him anymore questions, and hurried away out of the Great Hall off towards what the Sirius assumed would be the lake. Nobody went there in February, so it would be just how Remus liked it – quiet and empty. With a scowl, Sirius stabbed a sausage on his plate, and began to munch it thoughtfully. James appeared from the other side of the room, and sat down in Remus' place at the table. He smiled and looked down at Remus' untouched plate of food. "Remus wasn't hungry then?"

"Err...no."

"I think he was but you frightened him away with all your questions." Peter chipped in, helpfully. A smirk spread across James' face, and the high-pitched squeak that emitted itself from Peter's mouth told James that Sirius may well have just kicked him under the table.

"So your plan of constant questioning...didn't work." James' face was smug, and it made Sirius' blood boil.

"No. It didn't." said Sirius, through a clenched jaw.

"So Sirius, is it my turn to try and find out the wolfish nature of our favourite friend?"

"Yes."

"In that case," James said, springing up from the table and grabbing a bread roll "I'm off to find Remus. I'll tell you if I find anything out." And with that, he strode out towards the giant oak door at the end of the hall.

"Tell you if I find anything out my foot. Come on Peter, we're going after them."

"But he'll see us – "

"You forget that our friend owns a very special cloak." Sirius grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

*Wow, thank you for the kind reviews I've had, they're really lovely. Particularly Serenity984 – thanks for the comments! There was a line divide between the wolf/marauder sections in chapter 3 when I typed it on my computer, but it got rid of it when I put it on fanficition. Hmmm...anyway, I've tried to edit it now so that it shows a difference in viewpoints. Hope you enjoy the next chapter... *

It didn't take James long to find Remus. He was sitting by himself under a large tree by the lake, his cloak pulled round him and his book on his lap. He was nibbling on a square of chocolate. James smiled at the sight of his friend. Quietly walking over, he sat down gently. "Chocolate again Remus? Somebody who didn't know you might say you had a bit of an addiction!"

"Hello James." He didn't look up from his book. Then he suddenly did. "If you've come to ask me one million and one questions on behalf of Sirius, I'd really rather you left me alone, please." James laughed at the serious look in his friend's eyes, though it soon turned to a twinkle and he hesitantly shut his book.

"I haven't come to ask you one million and one questions, no." He smiled, and took a deep breath "But I do know why Sirius has."

"Oh?"

"Well it's just that...I mean...you've been acting a little odd lately."

"Have I?" Remus began to turn to open the book again.

"Yes," said James, putting his hand on the cover of Remus' book, forcing him to look up at him. "Yes, you sort of have. And it just got us thinking, and we did a little research and...well..."

Remus stared at James. His eyes were very wide, almost pleading, and James felt slightly guilty by what he was trying to uncover. "Don't be offended by what I ask you because it's probably nowhere near the truth. Not that it would matter if it _was _true of course and you win full permission to laugh at me until the end of our days if I – I mean we're wrong."

Remus gazed wearily at James "Just spit it out, James."

"Errm...well..."

"And I'll assume by "we" you meant you, Sirius and Peter."

"Yes." He paused, before blurting out. "Please don't hate me if this sounds ridiculous but...but..."

Remus raised an eyebrow, questioningly. "Are you a werewolf?"

James had never seen the tips of Remus' ears grow so crimson so quickly before. Remus steadied himself and swallowed, before answering quietly. "And what might make you think that?"

Suddenly, the two were interrupted by the sound of somebody sneezing loudly, followed by an all too familiar voice growling "Peter you dimwit!" James frowned, and then smiled, but Remus remained expressionless as he stared unseeingly at the ground. "Come out from my cloak, you thieves!"

"I'll have you know," said Sirius, fighting not to laugh "That taking this was not thieving because it is officially Marauder Property."

"Oh yes? And who decided that, and when?"

"Me, and now."

The three burst out laughing, leaving Remus feeling almost close to a heart attack. They had just guessed he was a werewolf. Unless he could fool them one more time, he hoped.

"So anyway, Remus, what did you say?" said James, suddenly serious again.

"I said, what might make you think that I'm a...a werewolf."

"Well, we just sort of noticed that you disappeared quite a lot and it was becoming quite regular. And then something Sirius said made me think about the times you went off at, and it turns out they were always at the full moon, and so one thing lead to another..." James trailed off, nervously.

"Plus your ears have gone scarlet!" Sirius dropped in, jokily. To Remus' dismay, and the others fond delight, this only made them turn even hotter.

"So are you?" prompted Peter "Are you a werewolf?"

Remus fidgeted, then stammered "I – y – no - I..." He'd tried to hide it from the others, but silent tears, which had been prickling in the back of his head, began to run down his bruised face. He whispered a very quiet "Y...yes." The others stared, stunned that they were right. Biting his lip, Remus scrambled to his feet and, with no others ideas of what to do, began to run away.

"Remus! Remus come back!" cried Peter.

"We still love you Remus!" shouted Sirius, holding back a bark of laughter as he began to bolt after Remus with the others. "Fast bugger when he wants to be, isn't he?"

"It doesn't change who you are!" called James. Grinning, he saw Remus falter. "It just means that now we know you've got a – a problem. Just a small, obscure, rather furry problem!" Remus turned round, a mixture of shock and amusement on his pale, scarred face. "And that means we can help you!"

"You don't have to hide anymore, Remus! We'll help you find a cure, you see if we don't! We still want to be your friends – we're your best friends – The Marauders!" Sirius felt he could have carried on shouting for hours if it meant that their friend would come back. To their surprise, Remus turned round and walked, albeit nervously, back.

"You really don't care?"

"Of course not!"

"Who would we be if we did?"

"Like nearly everybody else I've ever met. Wizards everywhere really hate people...beasts like me."

Sirius laughed "Remus, you couldn't be a beast if you tried!"

"You say that," Remus muttered, "But you haven't seen me when I transform. I'm a monster." Dejectedly, Remus flopped down beside the tree again and turned his face away from the others. All three of his closest friends crowded round him and sat down too.

"It's not your fault." James said, quietly, "You can't help it."

Remus quickly wiped his face on the back of his sleeve. He would _not _cry. "Who cares if it isn't my fault? I still do it, every month, every sodding full moon."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Peter said, trying to make Remus feel better too but instead being rewarded by three sets of glares, the worst of all from Remus himself.

"You have no idea." He said quietly, resting his head backwards against the tree to look up at the leafless branches.

"Tell us." Sirius had blurted it out before he'd even thought about it.

Remus raised an eyebrow, slightly darkly amused. "You really want to know?" Nobody said yes, but three sets of eager faces stared back at Remus. "In that case," said Remus laughing, "You'd better give me the questions, because I have no idea where to begin!"

Sirius went first "When did you get bitten?" Remus half-smiled, though his eyes looked haunted. "Sorry – "he began, but Remus held up a hand to stop him.

"No, it's fine, it's just – I've never really spoken to anybody about this before." He smiled. "I was really little at the time. Maybe six, nearly seven? That time's really hazy in my memory now." Remus shivered but this time his lying was perfectly reasonable. Oh, he remembered the night of the bite alright. It terrorised him in his nightmares, but he could never tell his friends that. He wasn't weak. It was only the time after the bite that he couldn't really remember.

"So you've had this for basically half your life?" Sirius carried on, his eyes showing a huge amount more sympathy than he'd have liked to have let on.

"Yes."

"Do you have a scar, then?" said James, who was also looking highly concerned for his friend.

"Yes, I do, just on the left of my collarbone. Sometimes it tingles a bit." He said, distantly, his eyes wide and far away.

Tactlessly, Peter asked "Can we see it?" Remus shuddered, and his hand instinctively went to his collarbone. They'd often seen him nursing this area, but until now hadn't known why.

"I'd rather not... I mean the last time my mum and dad saw it, only a few weeks had passed since I'd got bitten and finally come round, and this awful old, bad-tempered hag of a Healer told me that there was no cure, and that there never would be, before proceeding to apply this terrible stinging, smelly green paste on my then wound, now scar. Since then, he's refused to make any public appearances." They chuckled at his joke.

James stared at Remus with a mixture of admiration and sadness for him. "Yikes. Do you mind if we ask..."

"What it's like?"

"Well...yeah."

"Assuming you mean the transformation...it's...it's..." Remus grasped for words, trying to come up with the perfect one to describe it, but there was nothing terrible enough in the English language. "I can't really explain it in just one word. It's...agony. Horrific. Terrifying. Lonely. Confusing." He laughed at the expressions on his friends faces. "I was beginning to enjoy myself a little too much wasn't I? Still, take your pick of all those wretched words and it still doesn't match it. And then when I'm a...the wolf, it just feels strange. Like I don't know what's right and wrong, good or bad, up or down. I'm not me anymore. I don't even really know what I'm doing. It's...really scary.

"Because werewolves are partial to a human or two, I have to be where I can't get to them. And if I can't get to them, I end up shredding myself. Hence my arm – "he held out his bandaged arm "And various cuts and bruises and scars and whatever." Remus shrugged his thin shoulders, a little sadly.

"I had meant to ask – "cut in a fascinated Sirius, "But what did you actually do to your arm?"

"Oh," Remus laughed dryly, "I was wondering when you'd come to that. I don't really remember doing it, but I had a peek when I came round this morning and it seems to me that I tried to gnaw my own paw off." He laughed again at the looks of horror on their faces "And no, Peter, you can't see it, I think you might faint. I, on the other hand, have expert experience. I've had much worse, anyway.

"And then I change back again; well that isn't as bad. I just suddenly feel all woozy and I can see the sun coming up and I start to feel more like a creature that can think again and I start to shake and feel sick and then there's this one massive stabbing pain here – "he turned his back and gestured gently towards his aching lower spine (his spine in particular protruding far more than a boy's should. The others noticed, he really was terribly thin.) And then before I know what's happened, everything goes dark and it hurts, and I find myself lying wherever I ended up, feeling dreadful!"

The others laughed nervously at this, but Remus still hadn't finished. It was all becoming rather funny, and the more horrendous it got, the more his friends found themselves laughing in spite of it all. He found he was laughing at himself too. He felt so free.

"Mostly I pass out after that and get found...but sometimes if it hasn't been such a bad one I wake up again. If that happens then wherever I am, I have to find my way back to the – oh, you don't know." He smiled. "When I'm going to transform, I get taken to the Whomping Willow. There's a knot you have to tap, and when you do, you go down my tunnel and end up in the Shrieking Shack."

"But that house is haunted!" cried Peter, biting his fingers.

"No. No it's not haunted but it feels like that sometimes. It's so cold and lonely in there." He shivered. "No, the...the shrieks and yells...they're all me, changing." The haunted look shadowed his face again, and nobody dared say a word. The circle of friends resonated sympathy and pity for their brave friend. Sirius thought, now he understood why he'd been placed in Gryffindor one and a half years ago.

"So anyway," said Remus, forcing a smile, "I have to find my way back to the end of the tunnel at the stump of the Whomping Willow. And Madam Pomfrey comes and...collects me, depending on what...state I'm in. Like last night, I'd lost a rather substantial amount of blood and she had to...well never mind.

"And the next thing I know, I'm in the Hospital Wing aching fit to bust and feeling more exhausted than I ever thought humanly possible, and really hungry. I imagine it's what one bastard of a hangover would feel like." The four of them laughed together. "Either way, I end up _wolfing_ down mountains of that awful sticky gloop they call porridge here for breakfast." Remus laughed as he saw their faces contort in horror once again. "Can't help it," he grinned "Need's must!"

"So there we have it," grinned a bemused Sirius. "A night in the life of a werewolf."

"Oh, no," Remus shook his head quickly, "You haven't even got me started yet."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to stop, Remus – we're more than a little late for Transfiguration." James was grinning at the look of horror which had now spread on Remus' face. "She's going to murder us!" said Remus as the four jumped to their feet and brushed dead leaves and twigs from their robes. "We'll be in detention for weeks!"

"My favourite!" cried Sirius, as they sprinted back to the castle.


	7. Chapter 7

The boys hadn't asked Remus anymore questions since they had got back to their dormitory for the night. Though pale Remus was almost asleep with exhaustion in the quiet room, Sirius was restless and very awake. He still had a number of burning questions to ask.

"Remus?"

"Mmm."

"What's it like having a tail?"

James and Peter stared at Sirius, looks of utter amusement on their faces. Remus' eyes snapped open, and he sat up. "Of all the things you could ask me, Sirius, you ask me that?"

The room filled with the sound of four boys' roaring with laughter.

"Well of course I asked! I think it's a rather fundamental question, actually." said Sirius, as he tried to stop laughing. Remus lay back down again and stared at the canopy of his four poster bed.

"You know full well that there's a charm I'm rather good at which could tell you exactly how it feels. However, seeing as I can't be bothered to get my wand right now, I'll tell you that it's really the least of my worries when I'm a wolf, but if I did have to think about it, it's a little strange but it feels like it should be there."

Peter grinned "Do you ever mark your territory?" Three of the boys in the room guffawed, but Remus, whose eyes were closed again, said a very certain. "No!"

"Do you ever get fleas?" laughed James

"Again, least of my worries, but no." said Lupin quietly, as he turned over.

"What do you look like when you're a wolf?" asked Peter, eagerly.

"Look in your textbook." Lupin's voice was muffled.

"How bad does your wolf breath smell?" Again, three boys snickered.

"How on earth should I know?" he groaned into his pillow.

"Remus - " began James, his eyes sparkling. But Remus was fast asleep.

A few minutes later, James said quietly into the darkness. "I'm glad he told us, you know."

"Me too," added Peter.

"We're going to help him," said Sirius, firmly. "We'll help him find a cure...or...something. Somehow." He sighed in the dark room.

As per usual, despite being a very deep sleeper, Remus was the first awake the next morning. He stared at the photo of him and his friends he had on his bedside table. He was glad that they knew now, and it hadn't been nearly as scary as he'd thought it would be.

And they still actually wanted to be his friends.

Remus pushed his sleep-tousled, dark honey brown hair from his eyes, and began to get up. He was relieved to be able to pull his jumper on over his scar before his friends, now aware of its presence, could search for it. At least they wouldn't badger him about why he wasn't sleeping shirtless in the baking summer months anymore.

James stirred from the opposite side of the room, and opened his bleary eyes. As was normal, Remus was already up and dressed and was sitting on the edge of his bed, reading. He didn't look up "Morning, James."

James grinned. "Morning _Moony_." Remus looked up sharply.

"Don't call me that. Please. I really think it would give quite a lot away about my situation if you started calling me that in front of others."

"Suit yourself, but I think Sirius rather liked the name!"

"Oh joy."

"And how'd you know it was me? You did that yesterday, too."

"Oh, it's a wolf thing...my hearing and smelling senses are still a little sensitive after a transformation, and it lasts for a few days."

"Cool!"

Sirius groaned from the bed next to Remus'. James flicked his wand over his pillow, and directed it to thump Sirius over the head. "I told you he wouldn't like Moony!" James laughed. Sirius pushed away the pillow and pulled his own over his head. It was an early Saturday morning, and as far as he could see, there was no logical reason for him getting up so early. That was Remus' job. Then, lifting his head up, he remembered he still had something he wanted to tell Remus, and it had been bursting from his brain all night. He tuned round and addressed him. "Remus," Remus looked up from his book.

"Are you going to start asking me questions again?"

"No, but I do still have loads," Sirius smiled. "I just wanted to let you know that we're all here for you. And we really are going to try and help you."

"There's no cure for – "

"We'll think of something. We're the Marauders!"

Remus' ears tinged pink. "Oh. Well...thanks." His cheeks also flushed, he began to turn back to his book when a fairly high, reedy voice could be heard coming from Peter's bed.

"No...Don't eat me...eat the porridge instead...don't bite me, I'm sorry...get away from me monster!" Peter stopped mumbling in his sleep and started to snore again. Remus looked up, sadly.

"I knew it. I knew there'd be at least one of you who didn't want me around anymore."

"Nonsense!" cried James and Sirius together. James got up and sat down next to Remus, who flinched a little. "He's only dreaming, Remus. He doesn't think that really."

"If he really was frightened of you, he'd have run away in the night to cower in the Hufflepuff toilets, or something." Sirius also got up and sat down on the other side of Remus, who couldn't help but feel a little shy, but who laughed quietly at Sirius. "Don't worry Remus, we're all going to look out for you from now on. Now can we go and get some breakfast please? I'm starving."

"You're always starving!" Remus placed his book back on his table and stood up, stretching, and then wincing at the slight ache that his bruises still gave him.

"You're one to talk!" James grinned, then hesitated. "No wait...sometimes you're really hungry and sometimes you won't eat anything. Is that because of your – "

"Yeah," Remus half smiled. "I always feel really hungry at the start of the cycle, pretty normal in between and then as the full moon approaches, I just feel sick and I can't stomach much. It's easier transforming on a relatively empty stomach, anyway."

"Surely it would be better if you transformed on a full stomach because then you wouldn't feel the need to go snacking on humans – or yourself?" Sirius said, confused. Remus raised an eyebrow dryly at him.

"Have you ever tried eating a full square meal right before you've got an exam and you feel so nervous you think you're going to...well, vomit? Times that by ten and you're halfway there!"

"Fair enough, but how about your chocolate fetish? You eat chocolate all the way through!"

"Well...Madam Pomfrey once gave me some because she said it had healing properties. And I think she was trying to get me off that porridge, because there were other patients waiting that morning, though considerably less hungry. But, well I don't know, I guess I just like chocolate." Acting out of habit, Remus pulled a half eaten Honeydukes bar out of his pocket and snapped off a square for himself, before offering it to the others.

"I don't get how you're not twice the size you are after consuming the amount of chocolate that you do!" cried Sirius, jokingly.

"Considering the fact that I exhaust myself running around the place once a month, I do." said Remus, smiling.

"Excellent one for my parents when I get back for the summer," said Sirius as he munched hungrily on the chocolate "Hi Mum! Did you know I've been sharing a Gryffindor dorm with a werewolf? No, it's alright – he prefers chocolate to humans!" Remus laughed as he carefully wrapped the foil around the end of the bar again, tucking it back into his pocket.

"That's me, your resident Chocoholic Werewolf." Remus smiled again as the other two laughed – he hadn't felt nearly as happy and free for quite some time.

*I get the feeling that this fanfic is getting a bit dull, and you don't have to carry on reading if you don't want to, but it would mean a lot if you did! :) I still have more on my computer so I'm going to put it all up until I feel it is finished, as there is still one little bit of the story left that I think is important in the Marauders discovering the truth about their friend*


	8. Chapter 8

After almost a whole lunar cycle and a number of highly inappropriate, unanswerable questions about life as a werewolf (mainly spouting from a grinning Sirius) that made Remus blush like mad, the four friends found themselves in Transfiguration. Now bearing a vast amount of new found knowledge of Lycanthropy, James, Sirius and Peter could recognise its effects taking their toll on Remus, much to their great sympathy for him. Whereas he had been constantly hungry for the first few days, as promised, he now looked pale and drawn, and seemed unable to find an appetite for much more than the occasional square of chocolate. The results of this were easy to spot – Remus became thinner and more agitated, and seemed increasingly restless as the nights approaching the full moon passed by. As he attempted to turn his pin cushion into a hedgehog, Sirius couldn't help but think that he couldn't believe that it hadn't clicked sooner that one of his best friends was a werewolf. It didn't bother him in the slightest, and it didn't bother James either. Peter had taken a little more time to stop gaping at Remus and to stop feeling wary of touching objects that he had touched, but after a few quiet chats with the others, he seemed to be finally coming round to Remus' condition.

"Oh for the love of - " Remus cried crossly as his pin cushion-hedgehog began to run away from his incoming tester pin for the third time that lesson. James looked at his jumpy friend and said quietly

"You alright, Remus?"

"Never better." He cut back, curtly. Turning round to see the look of shocked sympathy on James' face, he flopped down into his chair and sighed. "Oh I'm sorry, James. I just feel so...so..." he struggled to explain how he was feeling. Peter looked round James' shoulder.

"It's all right Remus. I – we – understand."

"No, you don't understand at all. It's like I can feel it coming. I can feel the moon turning inside me. Quite honestly, if somebody offered me a bucket right now I could happily be sick into it. I feel like crap, and it's only going to get worse after tonight."

Grimacing at the mental image of Remus throwing up, Peter began "Don't worry Remus, we're all going to be thinking of you."

"And if you end up in the Hospital Wing we're going to come and visit you straight away."

"No. No don't do that."

"Why not?" Sirius said, looking up from his hedgehog, who was chewing Peter's quill.

"Just promise me," Remus sounded pained. He didn't want his friends to see him straight after transformation if it was really bad, because he knew what a state he sometimes ended up in, though he'd never say.

"Alright, Moony, we promise." James nodded reassuringly. He knew Remus was having a tough time dealing with the stress of transformation, let alone this time he had three pairs of prying eyes on him. Suddenly, Sirius gave a yowl of pain. They turned around to see his hedgehog snapping and clawing at him, a vicious look in its normally reliably docile features. The hedgehog then burst into flames in Sirius' hands; magical green flames that spread quickly up his arms to his face, leaving a trail of green boils. "What – the – HELL – was that?" he yelled, oblivious that he was still in a classroom. A cold voice whispered "accident" over his shoulder, but before Sirius could turn round and punch whoever was standing behind him, Professor McGonagall was standing over him. "What on earth has happened here, Mr Black?"

"I swear professor, I was letting it wander round the table after I'd transfigured it, and it suddenly turned on me and attacked me!"

"Yes, well. Those are cursed boils that require a human hand to invoke. Who did this?" said McGonagall in a steely voice. Nobody answered, though a breath of laughter from the Slytherin's table found its way to James and Sirius' ears. Sirius clenched his fists under the table. He would not give Snape the satisfaction of telling tales on him that would be seen as petty accusations with no truth behind them. He would keep quiet. "In that case, could you, Remus, kindly escort Sirius to the hospital wing. We will deal with the culprit later!" McGonagall eyed Remus with a sympathetic nod, before sweeping back to teaching the class.

Meanwhile, James had turned to Lily, the object of his obsession for quite some time. He was busy trying to show her how he could charm his recently transfigured hedgehog to become soft and cuddly to amuse her, but it only resulted in him having his hair blown back in a bang of black smoke, her turning away to her friends, tutting, and McGonagall hurling words of fury at the class once more. Sirius laughed as he left the room, but Remus looked subdued.

"I hate it when they do that." Remus muttered as they left the classroom.

"When who does what?" said Sirius, as he happily walked free from lessons towards the Hospital Wing.

"When the teachers do that _look_ at me. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep you from being suspicious last year when teachers constantly asked me to stay behind at the end of lessons, or gave me the look of sympathy. I mean I get that they're concerned, but they don't think about whether people in the class will guess." Remus ranted, bitterly. Sirius now knew that it was just a lunar mood swing, however, and not his friend cross at him for something.

"Well, we were suspicious," said Sirius, grinning at Remus through a face of slowly growing green boils.

"Exactly." Remus sighed. Then he smiled weakly back at his friend. "Oh I give in. Do you want some chocolate?" Remus rummaged in his pocket to find two chocolate Knuts. He handed one to Sirius.

"Advantage of being best friends with a chocoholic werewolf – they know when you're in need of the sweet stuff. Cheers, Moony!" Sirius grinned and Remus gave a small laugh. Then he stopped, quite suddenly, in front of the Hospital Wing door. He shivered, and Sirius felt like he should have put his arm round his friend, but for the fact that he had infectious boils pulsing on them.

"I hate going in there."

"I bet."

"It just brings everything back. I hate it." Remus was shaking.

"Do you want to sit down a minute?"

"No. No, I'm fine." Taking a deep breath, Remus stepped forwards and pushed the door open. Madam Pomfrey came bustling over. "Remus you're a little earl – I mean – "

"Don't worry; I'm not here for me. It's Sirius." Remus gestured towards his friend. Madam Pomfrey's eyebrows raised into her head. "Goodness me, that's a nasty curse! You'll need to take this anti-inflammatory potion once every three hours, and Merlin, your attacker was feeling confident because it's infectious too! You'd better spend the night here. She handed a pair of pyjamas to Sirius, who though baffled, had a huge beam spread from ear to ear on his face. He was going to get to miss Potions! Remus hung back to speak to Madam Pomfrey as she pulled screens around Sirius so he could get changed. He whispered "He knows," to her, and watched as she looked startled. "So do James and Peter. It's OK; they've vowed to never tell anybody." Madam Pomfrey laid her hand against Remus' forehead. "So be it. It might be nice for you to have some friends visit anyway. Are you sure you're feeling alright, dear? You feel awfully cold, and I'm sure whichever teacher you have next wouldn't mind if you stayed here for the last lesson. You could use some rest before you...go out tonight."

"No, I'm fine, thank you," said Remus, though he didn't feel it at all. He was beginning to remember the fear that plagued him in the tense hours before the transformation. Sirius popped his head from round the screens and said "Can I copy your Potions homework then, Remus?"

Remus sighed and gave a small smile at his friend. "Oh, alright then. But just this once!" Sirius smirked gleefully as he watched pale Remus turn and head for the door. "Seeya later, Moony!" he called.

"Yes," replied Remus quietly. "See you later."

Sirius propped up his two way mirror in front of him and said quietly into it "Oi, James!" James' face appeared in the mirror. It looked as if it was on his lap under the table. "What do you want, you mangy boil-faced skiver?"

"Curse Snivellus back for me, won't you?"

"And who would I be if I didn't?"

"Oh, and James?"

"What?"

"Bad luck with Lily, mate. Didn't you know she's hated hedgehogs ever since she tried to stroke one when she was little and it bit her?" Sirius grinned to himself as he heard James groaning.

*can you guess what's going to happen? :p *


	9. Chapter 9

*Hello, thanks to all the people who have reviewed – you make my day every time! I did think that this was the last chapter of the story but one review in particular inspired me to write about them becoming animagi (or at least deciding to) so who knows, maybe I'll take this just a little further. Thanks for reading, please continue and review if you want to! :) *

Sirius woke up in the very early hours of the next morning. A cold draft had spread through the dormitory. He opened his eyes to get up and investigate the cause, when he suddenly remembered that he wasn't in the dorm, he was in the hospital wing. He looked over to see that the main door was open. Strange, thought Sirius. Then he heard voices.

"Oh, the poor boy!"

"I'm sorry Minerva, he's in a very bad way."

"Has he been this bad before?"

"To my knowledge, this is his worst transformation since his very first." Transformation – Sirius' heart felt as though it had plummeted into his stomach. _Remus_.

"He's not even thirteen yet Albus, he shouldn't have to be dealing with such horrors!"

"I'm afraid he has to, Minerva. He has no choice. However, I am sure Poppy is quite capable of patching him up a little."

"Of course I am! Though I'm not sure where to begin tonight, I've never seen him this bad." Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore and McGonagall all entered the room, directing a stretcher carrying a crumpled heap of bloody, ripped clothes. With a terrible feeling in his throat, Sirius realised that the heap was Remus. He lay like a tattered, threadbare ragdoll on the stretcher, and looked so weak and limp that he appeared barely half his age. He wore what was left of his school robes; though they were so shredded and bloodied it was hard to make them out even as a robe. His skin, though smattered with blood, was a ghostly grey and his body was covered with deep gashes, wounds and purple-black bruises. His right leg stuck out at a strange angle, and Sirius could hear his infrequent, rasping breaths.

Sirius could not help but watch in horror as McGonagall sobbed onto Dumbledore's shoulder. "We'll h-have to t-tell his parents. He'll h-have to go h-home to recover with his f-family."

"I'm sure he'll be fine without going home, Minerva. Remus is a very brave boy, braver perhaps than anybody I have ever met, and certainly braver than people give him credit for. He will need to be tended to carefully for at least a few days, however, as his condition is grave. Poppy, I shall leave Remus to your capable hands."

"Thank you, Albus." said Madam Pomfrey, as she pulled screens around Remus' bed and set to work.

It took Sirius a while to get back to sleep. He could not rid his head of the image of Remus lying on that stretcher, a hairs breadth from death. He shuddered as he listened to him quietly moan as he faded in and out of consciousness. At one point, he thought he heard him ask for himself, James and Peter, but his calls were so faint and so infrequent that he couldn't have been sure. There was only one thing he was sure of, and that was from the bottom of his heart, they had to do something to help their friend. They couldn't let things get this bad ever again.

Just before he finally got to sleep, he glanced at his two way mirror. He thought of risking a call to James, but that would have given away that he was awake, and besides, James wouldn't have heard him whispering. Listening to the sound of a wand cutting through robes and bandages, Sirius finally managed to fall asleep again, though his dreams were troubled as he imagined a frightened Remus backing away from a snarling werewolf, calling for help.

An hour later, Sirius was woken by Madam Pomfrey for a final check over and dosage of medicine. He stared at her tired face and said "Madam Pomfrey, is...is Remus alright?" he tipped his head to the bed next to his, where the screens had been removed to reveal Remus, looking more dreadful than he ever remembered, except for last night. She sighed, "He'll be out of lessons for a few days, I'm afraid. When he got back last night, he was in a very bad way. Don't wake him, he's sleeping now." She bustled away down the corridor. Sirius waited a moment, and then grabbed his mirror.

"Oi, sleepy head!" he said as loudly as he dared into the mirror. To his surprise, James quickly came into view, yawning.

"Morning boil-brain – though they've cleared up now, more's the pity. S'early, isn't it? Is Remus in the Hospital Wing with you or is he not back yet?" Sirius tilted his mirror towards Remus, and grimaced as he heard James and Peter's gasps of shock.

"I'd come down quickly if I were you. It's not good."

Moments later, James and Peter had appeared fully dressed in the doorway. Sirius, who had also got dressed, was standing by Remus' bed, staring at his ill friend. James and Peter stopped abruptly next to him, and gasped sharply.

It was even worse than the last time. Remus was covered in bandages, cuts, grazes and bruises. His breathing was weak and faint, and his skin was freezing cold, and palid. His tattered, hastily stitched back together robes hung from the section of the screen that had been pulled away. Remus was once again in the pair of pyjamas that were too big for him.

"Bloody hell Remus," James whispered.

"He came back last night when I was meant to be asleep. He was on a stretcher, I thought he'd died. Dumbledore said he thinks it was his worst transformation since his very first one."

"Dumbledore was here?" said Peter, his eyes wide. "It must have been bad, then."

"It was. McGonagall was here too. She was crying."

The three boys stood huddled around poor Remus, lost for words.

A few hours later, Sirius, James and Peter (having taken swift shifts to grab breakfast so that one person at least was always with Remus) found themselves sitting outside the Hospital Wing. Remus had begun to stir and twitch, but to their horror had begun to cry out in pain and fright and shake violently. Madam Pomfrey had appeared by his side as quick as a flash, and had speedily ushered the three boys from the room. Now, as they listened to the ticking clock being interrupted by infrequent moans and shrieks, they only felt fear. Peter broke the silence. "D'you think he's going to be alright?"

"No idea. Hope so." James was twiddling a chocolate frog card restlessly between his thumb and forefinger. Finally, Madam Pomfrey stuck her head out from the door. Immediately, the three boys stood up.

"He's fine, but he'll be asleep until tomorrow. I suggest you come back then – I doubt he'd want you to see him in his current state." Gulping, they left for the sanctuary of the common room. Neither of them said a word as they entered the room and sank into three comfy armchairs around the fire. Lily was sat by the table; busily scribbling what looked like the lengthy History of Magic essay they had been set. She looked up as they sat down, glared at James, and then said "Where's Remus?" Remus was the only "Marauder" that Lily had ever taken to becoming friends with. He proclaimed that this was because he showed a sense of maturity and took the time to listen to what she was saying, but still the others, James in particular, couldn't fathom how he had managed to get her to like him. "I guess it was because I didn't try," he had said, much to James' annoyance.

"He's ill. Really ill." said James, gravely. She put down her quill.

"Oh dear. Has he caught whatever it is his parents have?"

"Wha – oh, yeah, err, we're not sure." Peter gabbled hastily. Sirius and James shot him furious looks, which only made Lily suspicious.

"Oh. Well then, tell him I wish him well. And give him this – "she tossed a Chocolate Frog at James, who caught it quickly. "He likes chocolate, doesn't he?"

As she wandered gracefully from the room, her book and quill tucked under her arm, James couldn't help but sigh as he leaned back into the chair.

"Should I confiscate that Frog, James? I'm not sure leaving you alone with it would be such a good idea."

"Shove off, Sirius," though his face was set in a goofy grin.

"James, you look like a puppy waiting to be stroked. Stop, now!" Peter said, though laughter. Despite the grave situation their friend was in, Sirius couldn't help joining in as James sat up sharply and tucked the Chocolate Frog into his robe pocket.

...

Remus groaned. He couldn't remember it being so bad. Not since...though he dreaded even remembering the first time he had ever transformed. Stabs of pain coursed wickedly through his whole body, and he surrendered unwillingly to the familiar ache that came after having his bones reshaped, lengthened, shortened and snapped to create a werewolf. He could tell that he had a number of deep wounds along his arms and legs, and he could feel bandages around his thin chest. He became aware that he was lying down, and that he could hear himself breathing and, though he despised himself for it, moaning faintly. Finally, he felt the presence of eyes staring at him, and could hear people whispering above him. Slowly, he managed to open his sore eyes to see his three best friends smiling down at him. "Finally come back from Planet Furry to join us then?" James said, softly but with a grin. He tried to answer but his throat was too dry and sore, and his lips too cracked.

"Don't try and talk. Not just yet. You've had a really nasty transformation." Sirius said, as he reached for what looked like a bottle of clear liquid. He moved it uncertainly to Remus' lips, but he kept them clamped shut.

"It's just water. Madam Pomfrey said that if you woke up, we had to give you water."

Remus felt stupid. He felt like a baby – it wasn't so bad when Madam Pomfrey had to do it, but his friends? Reluctantly sipping the cool water from the side of his mouth as he tried not to let it dribble down his chin, he tried to sit up a little. The result wasn't good, he winced and gave a small groan; every muscle in his body was protesting. With a sigh, he lowered the little part of his body that had managed to rise up back down again. He felt exhausted.

"How do you feel?" Peter said, quietly.

In a very hoarse, faint voice, Remus managed to reply "Like the Whomping Willow and the Giant Squid both tried to simultaneously sexually assault me." The three broke into hearty laughter.

"There's our Moony," James said, cheerfully. Remus managed to ease his head to a stack of coloured, shiny wrapped objects lying on his bedside table. "Don't call me that. Whassat?

"Well, _Moony_, we all know how you love your chocolate – "Sirius began,

"So we brought you tonnes of the stuff!" finished Peter, who was beaming from ear to ear.

"Thanks," said Remus, quietly. He felt awkward that his friends cared about him so much. James was staring at the pile of chocolate. Noticing that Remus was staring at him, he jumped back slightly, trying to make it look casual.

"It's all from us, but some other people contributed when they heard you weren't well. That first year you were helping with his charms homework the other day left you a Chocolate Galleon and Lily left you a Chocolate Frog..."

"You can have it."

"Really?" James sprang upwards, grinning. "Thanks, Moony."

"S'OK. Do any of you happen to have a bucket handy?"

"No – "

"Then I'm really sorry about this," and Remus heaved himself painfully over and vomited onto the floor.

"I'll get Madam Pomfrey!" squeaked Peter, as Remus shuddered and fell back against his pillows weakly.

"No, it's OK, I feel a bit better now. Pass me a square of that chocolate, James? I'm starving."


	10. Chapter 10

*Quick disclaimer, once again, I own none of the characters or Hogwarts or anything as cool as that.

Also, sorry I haven't updated in a while. Been busy with Christmas, you know? Hope you enjoy reading... :s *

After a few days of rest, recovery and eventful visits from his friends, Remus still found himself sitting in the Hospital Wing, admittedly feeling ill and tired, but more than anything, bored. He longed to get back to lessons – not only to lessen the extent his excuses were going to have to run to cover his lengthy absence and battered appearance, but also because he loved to learn and missed just sitting and reading in lessons whilst laughing with his friends at some awful trick they had played on somebody, or something a teacher had said which Sirius or James had turned into a ridiculous innuendo which made Remus blush and the others laugh. He was desperate for something to happen or for him to be allowed to leave and try and be normal again, no matter how awful he felt.

Therefore, it was both a surprise and a relief when Dumbledore turned up in the Hospital Wing out of the blue, asking to see Remus. Madam Pomfrey exchanged a quiet word with the headmaster before he made his way over to Remus' bed and sat down on the chair beside it.

"Good afternoon, Remus."

"Good afternoon, sir."

Dumbledore gazed at the thin, bruised boy that lay in the bed before him. It was such a pity that so gentle a boy had been afflicted with so evil a curse. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm...I'm alright sir. And you?" Dumbledore smiled as Remus stared at the covers.

"I'm very well, thank you, though that is unimportant. What is important is that you are recovering from what I believe was one of your worst transformations to date?"

"I...yes sir, it was..."

"Though I see that Madam Pomfrey has patched you up rather well?"

"Yes sir, I'm fine. Just a bit...you know..."

"I would understand entirely if you said you were aching, sore, and felt mightily under the weather, so much so in fact that despite your deep hunger, you felt too sick to stomach any food." Dumbledore's azure eyes twinkled, and Remus looked away again. "But the finer details don't matter so much as the fact that you are recovering, yes?"

"Yes, Professor, I am."

"Good. Madam Pomfrey just assured me that you wouldn't be well enough to return back to lessons until next week, though I think otherwise. You are incredibly brave to deal with your condition so amicably Remus, and I admire you for it and the strength that it has given you. I should think you can return to lessons with your friends by tomorrow at least."

Remus smiled properly for the first time since Dumbledore had visited him. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore!"

"That's quite alright, Remus. I doubt any of your friends would have been so happy to be told they could return back to lessons, from what I've heard," Remus laughed, but the laugh shook his still weak frame and he coughed. Dumbledore placed a gentle hand on Remus' shoulder until he had finished coughing. He flicked his wand and produced a sparkling goblet of water. He handed it to Remus, who hesitantly began to drink from it. He finished, and, though still trembling a little, handed the goblet back to Dumbledore. "Th-thank you, sir."

"Understand that you are not to over exert yourself if you return to classes tomorrow."

"No, sir."

"Good. Might I ask, however...was there anything that happened or anything that you did differently before this transformation in particular that may have caused your overly violent reaction?"

"I...I don't think so, Professor. Sometimes I just have bad nights, or rather...worse nights than others." Remus smiled at Dumbledore from under his floppy hair which fell messily around his head. Dumbledore smiled back at him, and stood to leave. "Sadly, there is nothing that can be done about that, Remus. Stay brave, and I wish you utmost health and fitness as soon as possible."

"Thank you sir...goodbye."

Dumbledore patted Remus lightly on the back before rising to leave. Just before he left, he turned and said "Oh, and I believe your friends are outside waiting to be allowed in to see you. They're carrying parcels, as I assume they have remembered what the date is today, even if you have not." Dumbledore smiled again, his eyes twinkling at the confused expression on Remus' face.

"What day is it today, sir?"

"March 10th. Get well soon, Remus." Dumbledore left the room.

Remus' ears flushed pink. It was his birthday. He'd hoped his friends would forget as he hated the fuss and attention it brought so he hadn't said anything and had consequently forgotten all about it himself. Obviously, they hadn't, and he hoped the ground would swallow him up as his friends bounded over to his bed, huge grins lighting their faces.

"Remus!"

"Happy birthday, Reem!"

"You didn't think we'd forget, did you?"

"We've got presents for you!"

James, Sirius and Peter threw themselves onto the end of the bed, and Remus smiled bravely back at them.

"Thanks, guys."

"Sorry we didn't come and see you this morning, we wanted to surprise you. Are you feeling any better?" James asked, still quivering with excitement.

"And why was Dumbledore here?" Sirius cut in, as Peter nodded and looked at him.

"Yes, I'm feeling a little better. Dumbledore just wanted to talk to me...he said I can come back to lessons tomorrow."

"Ace! We've been missing you in the dorm."

"And in lessons," Peter said, who had been missing having somebody who would work with him without complaining (Sirius and James nearly always partnered each other)

"I've been missing _being_ in lessons. It's really quite dull in here."

"Well _anyway_, let's stop talking about lessons now because it's your birthday!" Sirius cried.

"Presents for Moony!" James thrust the pile they had been carrying into Remus' arms.

"Please don't call me that," Remus exhaled and shifted upwards from his position in bed. "Alright then, whose should I open first?"

"Mine!" James and Sirius yelled together, before glaring at each other. Peter and Remus laughed.

"I'll open Peter's then," Remus smiled as he picked the parcel up from the pile. He gave it a small shake before gingerly opening it. It was a box of chocolate frogs. Remus couldn't help but grin – he really did never get tired of chocolate. "Thanks Peter," he smiled, before opening the box and offering them round to his friends, who each gladly took one.

"Thanks _Moony_. Now open mine!" Sirius was practically jumping up and down on the bed, and Remus rolled his eyes in that oh-so-Remus way.

"You aren't going to let up on that nickname are you?"

"Nope. Now _open it!_"

"Yes _please_ open it, Sirius hasn't told any of us what it is!" James said, almost as excited as Sirius.

Remus grasped the rectangular shaped present which had been shoved into his arms. _A book_, he thought, happily, and he turned the package over and began to pull of the wrapping paper. Indeed, as he had suspected, a large book emerged from the coloured paper, and Remus peered at the title before blushing profusely.

"Sirius, this is...I mean...Sirius!" Remus stared open mouthed in embarrassed horror at the book as Sirius laughed hysterically. Peter craned his head to take a look, and James, unable to take the suspense any longer, grabbed the book from Remus' hands.

*So, that's it for now, sorry! I'm completely stuck for ideas of what the book could be, or at least, I have a few ideas but I would _love_ to hear what any readers would like it to be! If I use any of the ideas (I doubt I'll get any but hey) I'll give credit in bucket-loads. LOL. The birthday fun will continue in the next chapter when I have some more ideas...please review if you liked it or even if you didn't :) *


	11. Chapter 11

_*A/N: I'm sooooo sorry for taking such a long time to update! I've had a lot on right now (cough, exams, mocks...bleugh) and I got interested in other one-shots, and I just couldn't squeeze quite enough time to get back around to finishing this one. For now, this is the end, and when I get more time in a few months I'll work on adding more about the Marauders...well, doing what they promise to do in this chapter (which is unforgivably short, I'm so sorry!) Anyway, on with the show, I don't own anything...enjoy!*_

"_Playwitch '74?_" James read, before bursting into laughter and smacking a high five with Sirius.

"Shh, James, or Madam Pomfrey'll hear and then she'll see it!"

"Yeah, and we'll tell her you begged us for it!"

"Sirius!" Remus shoved Sirius on the arm, before giving into the laugh fighting inside him.

A few minutes later, Sirius coughed and said "Sadly Remus, that's not _really _what it is..."

"Thank Merlin for that! I was trying to come up with excuses for if my mum and dad ever found that in my trunk..." the boys guffawed again.

"Remus, you're the king of excuses!" James rolled his eyes at Remus. "Anyway, listen to Sirius."

"Yes, listen to me!" Remus grinned and tugged at his ears.

"Listening!"

"Good. Well...yeah. That's not what it really is. It _would_ have been but I couldn't find the spell that undid the age restriction charm fast enough to get it delivered on time," Sirius smirked as he exchanged a glance with James that clearly meant _next year! _"So, we all had a think, like, a _really_ big think, and then we had a really, really good idea."

Remus searched their faces for an answer. "What was the idea?"

"Well we really wanted to help you when you transform," James began

"To try and find a cure or something," Peter nodded. Remus' eyes clouded

"There's no cure for my afflict-"

"Just shh a minute, Reem! We know there's no cure. But...the books we looked in said that werewolves only snack on humans. Right?"

"Sadly, yes..."

"Right. So if there were _animals_ around you," Sirius grabbed the book and slipped the jacket off "You wouldn't harm them. And they could keep you company."

He handed the book to Remus, who blinked in surprise. "_Discovering your Inner Animal: 453 Easy Steps to Becoming an Animagus_" Remus read, then looked up at his friends. "I couldn't let you do that...it's –"

"Illegal"

"Dangerous"

"Insanely difficult"

Remus stared at the three boys before him, each beaming from ear to ear. "Well, exactly. Not to mention –"

"Things could go wrong"

"We might have some explaining to do to Madam Pomfrey"

"Plus we could get the world's most humongous detention. We _know_ Remus," James smiled "We want to help you."

"We care about you." Peter nodded.

"And we don't like to see the wolf hurting you" Sirius said, a small frown between his eyebrows indicating the finality of this argument. Remus sighed. He knew there was no point arguing with his friends when they were this determined about something. But beyond all the worries niggling away at him about the unthinkably huge amount of trouble this could land them all in, Remus couldn't help but feel...

Well. He wasn't quite sure on that front, or at least, he didn't know how to describe it. He looked up from staring at his hands. "You'd...you'd risk all that...for me?"

Sirius smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand "Good grief, lads, I do believe he's cottoned on!"

"That's a relief, I thought for a moment we must be speaking Parseltongue!" James said, in the same exaggerated tone that could only make Remus smile, despite his worries.

"It's the truth, Remus. We're going to work really hard so that we can keep you company," Peter jiggled excitedly "James and Sirius reckon we'll have got it by the end of the year!"

"I...well...thank you, I guess," Remus could feel the pink flush creeping back to his pale face and ears "That's the nicest...the best thing anybody's ever done for me..."

The four boys remained silent for a moment in the awkward embarrassment of the situation. Suddenly, James shattered the quiet. "We forgot _my_ present!"

"James, you didn't have to..."

"Don't be _stupid_ Remus, you're a Marauder!" James bent down to root around in his bag for the present and Peter grinned in realisation when James pulled out the hastily wrapped parcel.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up for this one Reem," Peter warned through a smirk

"Nonsense! It's everything Remus loves in one present!" Sirius cried, though there was a hint of something mischievous in his voice.

"Well seeing as I spent a considerably large amount of time helping one fellow marauder to track down a certain book," James narrowed his eyes accusingly at Sirius "Who then decided it was his present and only his, I didn't have time to find anything really cool. Marauder cool, anyway." James grinned and placed the present in Remus' reluctant hands "So I got you this."

_Oh God, what next? An embarrassing photo album?_ Thought Remus, as he stared accusingly at James, whose eyes were sparkling with glee. He tore the wrapping paper and found...school notes? Was that...a homework sheet?

"James, what is this?"

"It's all our schoolwork. We figured since you just love to study so much, and you'd missed so much school, you'd want to catch up!"

"But –" James, Sirius and Peter were all ready hastily getting up to run off. James turned and winked at Remus, who was torn between amusement and fury "That essay on Mandrakes is meant to be in tomorrow, so you'd better get cracking!" With that, James hexed Remus' hair pink and sped from the Hospital Wing, crying "Happy Birthday Moony!" Sirius and Peter followed after him, roaring with laughter, calling back "Don't forget to write each essay in a different quill so the professor can tell the difference!"

Remus fumbled for his wand, but it was too late, they had already gone. Smiling to himself, he vowed revenge with a strong Jelly legs jinx followed by the classic Rictusempra at the very next opportunity. In the meantime, Remus thought, as he looked at the gigantic pile of homework in front of him, he could have a lot of fun creating some completely inappropriate answers for his friends' homework. His three best friends in the whole world, who knew who he was and didn't care a jot –they even wanted to try and _help _him. And Remus felt happier than he could remember feeling in a very long time. Wasn't life good?

_*Thanks for reading. I'll get back to working on the Animagus part probably in the summer, or maybe even sooner. Anyway, that's it for now. Please review -.- *_


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